Laura visited Mary for hours everyday. The nurse, Rachel was annoyed of it for some reason. Laura started asking questions about James. Laura said, "How come I never see James?"
"He doesn't come around much anymore. He has to work," Mary told her as she though, 'that's what he SAYS'. "Hospital bills aren't cheap."
"Does he work late a lot?"
"He had been."
"Did he before?"
"No. We weren't in need of money then." Laura's questions were shoving doubts into Mary's head. Or, at least, her doubts were being fed the power they needed to grow stronger. Mary felt the unmistakable pain of jealousy start eating away at her stomach. She had to change the subject. "Rachel told me about your parents, Laura," she decided to say. "I'm so sorry, honey."
"They're going to take me out of here next week. I talked to a social worker lady and she said she'd let me come to visit you. She said I had to check with you first. So, is it okay?"
"Of course it is! SOMEONE has to visit me."
"If I ever see James, I'll kick his butt."
Mary laughed, "Well he isn't THAT bad. I just wish he'd come to see me more often. I know he has to work but I'd be grateful even if he stopped by for two seconds." Although Laura was released from the hospital a week later, it hardly seemed that way. She was over everyday visiting. For some reason, that annoyed Rachel too. They didn't seem to care though. Especially not Laura. She took no notice of this as she talked happily about whatever was on her mind.
As the different seasons came and went, Mary spent the days alone when Laura didn't visit. James hardly ever came by. Though she missed him dearly, she started thinking that it was for the best. With all the medication she'd been given, she labeled herself as grotesque. In fact, she had the bathroom mirror covered so she wouldn't catch a glimpse of herself when she walked in. The last time James came to visit he brought her pink roses. She didn't feel like seeing him and demanded that he leave. When she realized what she'd done, she began to cry, "James wait! Please don't go. Stay with me. Don't leave me alone. I didn't mean what I said. Please, James..."
The doctors no longer ran tests or came to tell her that things would be looking up soon. She figured that they'd lost all hope. Even James wasn't an encouragement anymore. Laura was the only one who kept saying, "When you get better..." What's worse, Mary was giving up on herself. She felt she had no hope left and didn't see the point in waking up in the morning. She didn't eat as much anymore. Her body was weak no matter what she did; so what was the point?
